Joocie watched as Blaza rewired some things on the small EMP they had sitting in front of them. See Joocie had always been good at doing technical stuff but Blaza was on a whole new level. Joocie has never seen someone rewire an elevator block after it had been broken almost beyond repair, well it looked like it was destroyed but Blaza said he just needed an hour. He only needed thirty minutes. They had all escaped, Joocie had been chained up in one room that L4FF had, he had been taunted all because he missed his shot on Meme. Something that still worried Joocie was what Laff said before he left.

"Joocie, if you can't do a job yourself, then  I will find someone who will."

Joocie had almost gone on his knees and begged Laff not to leave him and that he would try again, but Laff had already left. Who was that person, Joocie ran through a list of people Laff liked and didn't like. Joocie could see potential in Nadwe but Laff really didn't like the young vampire. Joocie had failed and knew that Laff would never forgive him. Meme was the person meant to die all along so it really couldn't be him right? It could be Dino, the strange reptile-human hybrid disturbed Joocie. He had never questioned when Joocie had asked him for a sniper. Dino was a person that would do anything if it meant he would have more power over someone. So maybe it was Dino. Socks, poor kind-hearted Socks. No way in heck would Laff use Socks, especially after Laff betrayed him, Socks also had a pure kind-of way of letting people know that he would always do the right thing. Socks had somewhat gone mad after getting shoved into the prison, it wasn't like the insane type of mad it was angry frustrated mad. Joocie had remembered just before he got kidnapped by Laff he had heard Socks crying all by himself behind the main part of the base while everyone else was asleep.

His sobs rang out; it was pure sorrow in his voice as he cried. Laff stood next to Joocie watching him. Joocie couldn't exactly tell Laff's emotions as the gas mask covered his eyes and mouth. When Laff spoke he could detect some softness for the sobbing spaceman.

"I feel like you could've done something to make sure he wasn't thrown in prison." Laff whispered wistfully to Joocie.

"I got him out didn't I?" Joocie retorted, "Plus I'm sure he'll be fine.." Joocie added a little more hesitantly.

"Didn't you want to get closer to him?" Laff asked.

"Of course I did.." Joocie sighed looking away, "I mean he trusts me somewhat now after I broke him out of prison right?" Joocie muttered.

"What about Blaza?" Laff pointed out, "You may be allies but for how long?" Joocie hated to hear the point that Laff was making, he clenched his fist and sat down with his legs hanging off one of the large military hangars. "How fast do you think he'll turn on you once this evidence-" Laff said, pulling out a tape from inside of his lab coat, "Is found." Laff finished handing the tape to Joocie. Joocie examined the tape and handed it back to Laff. Laff looked at the stars above, "At Least Socks had some appreciation for the stars and nature unlike you people." He snapped.

"What's the tape even for?" Joocie asked.

"It's just another thing in the plan, A plan you won't be a part of." Laff told him. Joocie felt something make contact with his head and he was out.

Joocie blinked away the memory with visible discomfort. Blaza turned to look at him expectantly.

"Did you not hear what I asked?" Blaza turned to him. Joocie shook his head and Blaza sighed. "Can you hand me that glowstone dust?" Blaza asked. Joocie turned to the chest that had a jar of glowstone dust. He opened it and removed the jar. He turned back to Blaza and slid the jar across the table to where Blaza was working. Blaza grabbed the jar and opened the tin topping. He opened a hatch on the EMP and poured the glowstone into it. "Not exactly how an EMP is supposed to work but it'll still work just as well." Blaza muttered as he stood up and wiped off his forehead with the sleeve of his hoodie. He looked at Joocie and gave him a weak smile.

"Well..Now that that's done, We visit Meme?" Joocie suggested, "Apparently he has some news." Joocie explained.

"When did you hear that?" Blaza asked.

"When Meme came by this morning he said that we should come by when we finished the EMP," Joocie explained.Blaza sighed and rolled up the sleeves on his hoodie.

"I guess we should go now."

"Yeah alright."

It didn't take them long to make it to Memes house as they lived probably 5 minutes away. Nadwe had opened the door with a worried expression.

"Oh Joocie, Blaza you guys made it." Nadwe observed not making eye contact with the two of them. Seeming to be thinking about something else. "Memes downstairs in my room." Nadwe told them pointing down the hallway and adjusting his hats on his head. He walked past them heading off towards the destroyed part of the village muttering something that Joocie couldn't really pick up on. They entered Memes house and made their way downstairs. Meme was hovering over Nadwes bed talking to himself and holding first-aid kits. He turned to see Joocie and Blaza standing behind him and he smiled.

"I'm glad you guys made it. Blaza maybe you could talk to him?" Meme suggested, Blaza put his finger up and opened his mouth, confusion clear on his face. "Socks isn't responding to me at all and whatever he says makes absolutely no sense. Maybe he would talk to you better."  Meme elaborated. Blaza took a cautious step to where Socks was. Socks was sitting on Nadwes bed with a half worried, half calm expression on his face, despite the fact that they were polar opposite emotions. As Blaza walked up Socks started to look at Blaza. Joocie could see that Socks' usual bright brown eyes were dull, almost as if ill. Socks made a random hand gesture that just consisted of him making a swirl effect in the air.

"Blaza-'' Socks started out, "Do you have the location of the small human with tophats?" Socks asked. Blaza stopped mid step and his mouth opened It seemed like Blaza's face echoed Joocies thoughts

Why did he say it like that?

Joocie breathed in and looked at Meme. Who shrugged in return.

"I-is he okay?" Joocie stuttered. Meme sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I did a couple of tests, the test results were inconclusive but I believe our friend.. Socksfor1, Is insane."

-0-

Nadwe had noticed that he was on his way stumbling into the village. He passed Honestburgers, a place run by Tbhhonest. Also the place where he was framed. Nadwe could feel the dread that came from the place like a very strong smell that you just couldn't get rid of. It followed around Nadwe like a baby duck following its mother. Impossible to escape. Nadwe had killed Laff, perhaps if Nadwe hadn't done that L4FF wouldn't have come out and wouldn't have begun to tourture him and his friends with his presence even if he wasn't nearby. Nadwe had gotten so enraged. Upset with L4FF for killing his best friend in front of him, and Woolf. He had watched as they both went down. That could have been Nadwe, bleeding out on the floor. He was a vampire though, a small bullet wound would have hurt but it wouldn't have killed him. 

A few minutes after wandering he hadn't even realized he stumbled to Socks' old base back when the war had started. Nadwe turned into a bat and quickly flew over the gates transforming mid air and landing on his feet with a oof. Nadwe began to explore the abandoned base; the remaining members of the gang wanted to be close so that if L4FF attacked a person wouldn't be singled out. Nadwes footsteps echoed as he walked through one of the large helicopter hangers. He entered the one next to the first building he walked through and noticed a figure leaning over some chests obviously looking for something of use. Nadwe took a step closer and the sun hit the person. Revealing that it was the purple hoodie of Dino.

"Yo Furry!" Nadwe called making Dino jump. Tail lashing he turned to see Nadwe waving at him. Dino seemed to relax as his tail slowly fell to the ground and he shoved his hands into the pocket of his hoodie.

"Whats up Nadwe,"

"Nothing much, just exploring." Nadwe responded nonchalantly. Tipping his hats to Dino in a respective manner.

"You know it's a bit unsafe for you to be here alone." Dino told him. Nadwe raised an eyebrow and looked at Dino skeptically.

"You were here alone." Nadwe retorted.

"Yeah well-" Dino said walking towards Nadwe, "I'm also an adult." Dino finished placing a hand on Nadwes head and ruffling up his hair a bit. Nadwe ducked away and looked at Dino in an annoyed way.

"I'm almost an adult!" Nadwe objected. Dino scoffed.

"You're like five. I wouldn't get too ahead of myself." Nadwe stomped his foot and pointed a finger at Dino.

"Aren't you like 17?" He asked. Dino snorted and broke out into laughter.

"Same difference." Dino gave him a toothy grin. His face then went serious and he lowered his voice to a low growl, "I really would be carefull if I were you. Something or Somebody is around, and I don't want you to get hurt." Dino told him. Nadwe knew that if Dino's voice got that low and serious that he was being for real.

"Wait Dino, do you know anything about something called 'The person made of shadows?'" Nadwe questioned as Dino started to walk away. This made him stop in his tracks and turn his head to look around his shoulder and stare at Nadwe coldly.

"What did you say?" Dino asked, turning all the way to look at Nadwe, Dino walked over to where Nadwe was and he crouched down low, shoving his snout into Nadwes face. In a deep low voice he whispered, "Don't ever mention that name."

"Why? Who is it?" Nadwe asked. Dino glanced around as if he suspected someone was listening.

"I don't know much about it but what I do know is that it was an experiment of Laff's." Dino explained, "He was very passionate about the project and told me that it would mean he would have an ally in any given situation. An unbreakable allegiance unless broken by Laff himself. Meaning that whatever soul, unfortunate as they may be, would be an ally to L4FF. Meaning we could all be in serious danger." Nadwe's breath was caught in his throat. The shadowy figure person that Socks had mentioned was an ally to L4FF. It made some more sense but not enough. Nadwe gave Dino a smile and turned around.

"I'll leave." Nadwe told him, glancing over his shoulder, "I just needed that question answered ." Nadwe finished transforming into a bat and flying away.

-0-

He walked into the small office staring at the desk sat against the wall in the back of the room. He then walked over to the desk and looked through all the papers scattered around. He picked up one of the papers and examined it, flipping it in his fingers looking at the meaningless words. He turned around to leave when a glint of light caught his eye. He stopped and tilted his head to see what it was. It was a photo of two people. He reached over and picked up the framed photo and looked at the two people. One had an awkward smile and had his arm stretched out in front of him, indicating that he was the one who had taken the photo. The other person had his arm wrapped around the photo taker's neck in a friend-like hug. One wore an orange spacesuit with a nasa logo pin on its collar and the other had a gas mask covering his face. You couldn't see much about the person's emotion but it clearly indicated that they were friends. The thing is this photo seemed to ring a bell and it just didn't sit right.

"Hey L4FF!" The person called toward the door. He heard what sounded like metal being tapped lightly against concrete but he could tell that it was L4FF's footsteps.

"Yeah-" L4FF started, "What is it?" He asked, walking farther into the room.

"What's this?"  He held out the photo of L4FF to see. It was ripped out of his hand in a second.

"Where did you find this?" L4FF questioned, clearly upset.

"It was just sitting on your desk." He shrugged, "Why, Who are those people?"

"One of them is me, the other is Socks.. A friend of mine." L4FF told him as he walked over to one of the desk drawers and practically threw the photo inside. "A great friend of mine. I enjoyed his company when he was normal." L4FF whispered the last part of the sentence like he didn't want to be heard by the other person in the room.

"Why? What happened to him?" He asked.

L4FF turned to him and sighed, "Don't worry about it, okay?" L4FF muttered, "Just leave, I need to do something." L4FF pointed to the door. He backed away then spun around on his heels and left. Leaving L4FF alone in the office. L4FF sat down in his chair and pulled open the drawer that he had just closed. Removing the photo carefully like it was fragile and could break even if someone blew on it wrongly. He stared at the photo and realized he had accidentally cracked it by throwing it into the drawer. Everything brought back memories of this photo. They had been in the desert at the time. If L4FF remembered correctly it was a few weeks before the wedding. The crack on the glass cut between him and Socks and Laff couldn't help but feel like it was a sign that he really had messed up for  the last time.

————

You lucky ducks I wasn't going to upload another chapter but guess what I did.

Pfft

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